A Widow in Wonderland
by austriantatious
Summary: At the young age of twenty-two, Madison was so eager to start a family with her dear husband Jake, but one day everything goes terribly wrong. For a year and a half she lives without reason, until she enters Wonderland through a dream. Now Madison is going to find out for herself if this idiosyncratic world and its inhabitants can help her find the will to live again. [OC]
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** I was inspired by watching Cry play The Cat Lady. I guess I wanted to try having an adult woman in Wonderland. Also, it's 3 AM so this may be chock-full of mistakes. Sorry, things move a bit fast but consider the situation. Poor Madi's super exhausted.

* * *

**The first day** was the easiest of them all. I spent the morning lying in bed, eagerly awaiting the news from my doctor. I wanted to have a child. I wanted a child more than anything in the world. I wanted to start a family with my husband, Jake. We were only married two years ago that day, at the young age of twenty, but we thought we had it all. We had the determination to achieve that glorious American dream.

The soft, silk sheets of our bed wrapped around my legs and enveloped my slender body. I remember feeling the sun's heat shining down upon me through the blinds of our gorgeous two-story home in the suburbs. It was a sunny Sunday afternoon, and I was content to have had a day off of work. I spent half of my morning cleaning the house from top to bottom. The other half, I had been speaking with my friends from my hometown. Each girl lamented over her jealousy of my easy-going life; I had always been fortunate. I wasn't too popular, but I had never known a true enemy. I was in the top 20 in my high school's ranking, and I was even nominated for Prom queen. Though I lost, the gesture made me feel loved. I felt wanted in the world. And so I hadn't experienced much sadness in growing up.

I had a comfortable group of friends friends and almost never spent my nights at home when I was a teen. I was always running off to see movies and go out to social events with my girl-friends, and I'd go on an occasional date with a nice boy. I wasn't entirely interested in dating, but I fancied the thought of meeting someone I was really invested in. Coincidentally, in my Junior year I met Jake, who had moved from the other side of the country, and it was honestly love at first sight. He asked me out out on a date two weeks into the school year, and I knew that he would be the man I would marry.

Our wedding was everything I thought it would be and more. I could still remember the way he swept me off my feet as we ran off to the limousine, and I could recall our friends and family trailing behind to wish us a sweet honeymoon. And oh, was it the sweetest night I'd ever have. It was pure love and passion that drew us together. A year later, we moved out of our apartment and bought a house to raise our family in. He quit working for his father's company, which provided us with the money to buy the house, and decided he wanted something more.

I'll admit, I was a little disheartened to learn his desire to go into the Army, but I knew I couldn't stop him from fulfilling his dream. As any other loving wife might, I threw my support behind him and he took off.

The first day took place months after his enlistment. I told myself that he'd come home to me, and hopefully our baby, very soon.

Good lord was I wrong.

**The second day** was silent. The phone was ringing and every so often I saw an e-mail notification pop up on my computer screen. I didn't go to work that day, and I certainly didn't speak with my friends. My boss, my best friend, wouldn't allow it me to work, though I insisted I was fine. I was still in the same outfit as the day before, but now I felt a little more disgusting. When I finally took a shower, the cold water was almost too much weight to bear. Since I couldn't be bothered to do much else, I just wandered around the house all day, admiring the pictures of Jake and I decorating the walls and tables. My mother tried coming over twice, and each time I ignored her. I disregarded the harsh knocking on the door, and I overlooked her van parked in my driveway outside. I ignored the entire world.

I thought, "Jake couldn't have left that easy. He's a fighter. There's no way he's gone."

**The third day** was progressively worse. Call after call, one day off after another. I forgot to eat breakfast and so throughout the entire day I felt my stomach churning and groaning, but I paid no mind. It was my heart that was suffering the most. Doubt settled into my taxed mind. _Was it true? No, of course not. Jake was much too strong to have gone so easily._ I managed to call my doctor to schedule another check-up. Surely he would confirm my pregnancy, and then everything would reverse and be a-okay again. I thought that maybe it was all just a sick, cruel joke, and that Jake would return home soon. I truly believed my doctor would have better news for me that day.

**The subsequent week** wore me down. I forgot to eat entirely, and I had yet to return to work. The sheets on my bed were becoming wrinkled from overuse and me failing to tidy it up afterwards. There was a faint smell of death lingering in the house. It sickened me so much, that I constantly had to open the window just to get a breath of fresh air. The pile of laundry in the corner of our room was stacking up considerably. The phone recorded a total of thirty-seven voice mails. I listened to them, but didn't hear a single word. I couldn't hear _anything_. My world had virtually gone silent.

**The following months** were dull, and I often wonder if I even existed during those times. I had become a shell of a being; a pretty, foolish shell of a girl once hopeful. I was a shell of a girl that used to be young and happy, looking towards a bright future with her husband. I returned to work, but not without consequence. My co-workers avoided me like the plague. On the few times they did see me, I saw my own reflection in their fearful eyes. I looked like a ghost; I was a transparent nightmare. My boss regarded me with a wary eye whenever she passed my cubicle. I forced myself to concentrate; I had to start moving on if I were to continue on with my life. But some part of me knew I didn't want to keep on living. Not when my husband and my child were missing.

**The year after** was absolutely horrendous. The miscarriage had taken its toll, on top of every other misfortune that fell upon me. I became delusional, and I laughed almost everything off. I continued to convince myself that Jake was still doing his civic duty, and that my child was just a few months late. Mother offered to find me a therapist, but I refused. I thought I was fine. I thought everything was fine. The house remained dirty, and so did my body. My once-soft, shiny brown hair was fading to a lighter color, as though I were aging too quickly. My skin turned a sickly pale tinge. My eyes held no emotion. On the inside, I was boiling with rage and disappointment.

**It is now nearly a year and a half later**, and even I realize that I cannot be any worse. I've quit my job, and I've nearly quit my life. The bills and eviction notices stack up and my mother pleads with me to get back on my feet, but it's harder than everyone says. My friends haven't given up hope, but I have. There's no room for such childish nonsense here. I feel utterly broken and lost. Some days I pretend Jake is just coming through the door, apologizing for coming home so late. I imagine his pleasantly surprised face once he sees our beautiful son stumbling up to him with his chubby hands and big, brown eyes full of curiosity and innocence.

_Innocence_.

"Such a thing is dead to me," I muse, rolling back and forth in my bed. Across the room I see my vanity mirror. Squinting, I take note of the dark circles beginning to form under my dark blue eyes. They contrast greatly with my paling peachy skin, but match my darkening brown hair. I've grown skinnier from lack of nutrition and an overall unhealthy lifestyle.

"Can't be helped."

I convince myself that it'll be another lazy, useless day in _my_ room. I switch off the T.V. buzzing in the background and add a new alarm to my cell phone, which will probably be shut off soon without being paid for. Tossing the phone onto the empty pillow beside me, I curl into the soft blanket and sigh.

"What would it take to leave this world forever? I don't even care if everyone forgets me, or nobody cares. I just want out. I just want… my family…" Without much feeling, I close my eyes and drift asleep.

-;

I feel a punitive sting in my back as some stranger begins to poke me with a sharp object. Voices accompany the poking and I moan in response. "Mother, if that's you, please leave. I'm almost positive I didn't give you a key to enter…" Then it hits me: I didn't provide mother with a key to my house at all. A little curious, I rub my eyes furiously and slowly draw myself up. My messy hair forms a curtain around my face and I sluggishly push it back, my eyes still adjusting to what's in front of me.

In an extraordinary twilight, I notice two similar figures with long sticks pointed towards me. It takes my brain a few seconds to register that on the tips of these sticks are keen blades, aimed at my face. I blink a few times and subconsciously push myself back.

"Who are…?"

"Hey, brother, it's another lady! Do you think it's Alice?" One mocks, cocking his head towards what I presume is his twin brother. The other examines me from a distance, but then shakes his head.

"There's no way that's our big sister. Alice has lighter hair and eyes, you dummy." The former brother seethes, lowering his weapon slightly.

"Don't call me a dummy, you dummy!" Within seconds, the boys go from dangerous axe-wielding children to prepubescent teenagers arguing over who's smarter. Still petrified, my eyes flicker back and forth in the scenery to find some way to escape. _Where am I, anyway? Am I just dreaming?_

As I gain the momentum to make a quick getaway, two other men make their merry way towards us and I shrink back down to the ground. The taller of the two looks the friendliest; his soft orange-colored hair reminds me of a nice autumn's day and his purple scarf wraps around his neck like a security blanket would a child. The only thing keeping me from feeling like I'm in good company is his ears. They're not human; they're not even on the side of his head. As a matter of fact, they're positioned on the top of his head, and they're fluffy like a bunny.

The other man is by far the most menacing of the quartet. His eyes are narrow and an icy blue, like a frosty layer of ice across a pond, and his hair is incredibly straight, black, and long. His outfit is a whole different story. For a moment, I'm reminded of a pompous jockey in England. He holds a cane loosely in his left hand and a fancy top hat on his head.

As I sleepily observe the interactions between them, I pray to God I'm not noticeable in this atmosphere. While the rabbit-eared man begins to scold the two boys, the top hat man scans his cold eyes over the lightning backdrop. Suddenly his gaze lands on mine and I freeze. A chill runs up my spine and flows through my neck and shoulders.

_Wake up._

He moves closer, drawing attention from the three other males.

_Wake up, wake up, wake up._

He's closer now—about two feet away, and he looks incredibly dangerous.

_Wake up __**now**__._

A smirk forms on his pale lips and he bends down to meet my eye-level. I feel as though it's now a showdown between predator and prey; you can only imagine who takes which role.

_**I SAID WAKE UP.**_

"Hello," he breathes into my face. I inhale and feel the cold air seeping into my lungs. Unwillingly, I force myself to reply.

"Hello. Excuse me… but do you know where I am?" I half expect him to pull out a knife and stab me, or shoot me where I lay, but these scenarios do not play out and we find ourselves in a pregnant silence.

"You're in the Country of Heart, milady. And who, might I ask, are you to have trespassed onto my property?" I swallow thickly and ball my right hand into a fist out of fear. _The Country of Heart… I've never heard of such a place. But he said I'm trespassing on his property. I wonder what he'll do to me, now?_

Dumbly I echo, "Your property? I'm… I'm sorry, I wasn't aware. I don't even know how I got here. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll gladly take my leave. I need to return home to my—" The words become entangled in my throat, though it's a lie I've told myself over and over again. Raising an eyebrow, the top hat man continues to stare me down and pressurize my very nerve system. "I just need to return home. Pardon me."

I force myself to stand, though I wobble around like a lamb that's just been born. _That's what I deserve for not eating. I'm such a stupid woman._ As I begin my daily session of minor self-loathing, I feel a thin hand clutching my elbow. Looking down I see one of the twins, and looking closely I see his striped uniform lined in dark red. He rocks me back and forth, smiling.

"Wait, don't go. We haven't played yet?"

"Play?" I look to his discarded weapon behind him when the other twin, with his navy blue linings, taking to my other side.

"Yeah, play! Hey boss, can we take her back to the mansion?" We all turn to the man in the top hat and I look away from his stare. From behind, the rabbit-eared man also decides to make a note.

"I'm just fine..." I insist, but I go ignored. _I really don't want to intrude here. I want to go home—_

"She does look a little disoriented, Blood…" I find myself surprised by his caring tone, and I make an effort to refuse again, but then I grimace at the boss' name. _Blood. __**Blood**__? What an awful name for a child. Blood!_ I lower my eyes, only slightly. _If I had a son, I definitely wouldn't name him Blood…_

After much thought, the so called Blood chuckles shortly and beckons me to join him. I comply, too scared to refuse, and we begin to walk down a dirt path to what I assume must be his home. "I think we can find a suitable room for you to stay the night." It takes all I have to hold back a groan of despair.

The twins cheer and exchange a high-five before bombarding me with questions. "What's your name, Lady?"

"Oh, erm…" I consider not revealing my name, but only for a brief moment. But then I remember that they're giving me a room to sleep in for a while. "Madison. Madison Miller."

"Can we call you Madi, then?" The blue twin prompts. I twinge a little at the nickname, especially since we've yet to be properly acquainted, but I find it incredibly hard to deny the boys so I agree.

"So, um, Madison," the rabbit-eared man clears his throat from the far left. "You said you don't know how you wound up on Blood's property?"

I nod, "That's right… I was just in my bed, and I was about to take a nap, but I woke up in this 'Country of Hearts'. I hope to leave early in the morning so I can find my way back home and return to my... family as soon as possible." He nods solemnly, almost as though he's keeping a secret. Blood exhales broodingly.

"That wouldn't be the first time I've heard such words. In any case, we'll provide you with a room for the night and I suppose I'll tell the guards to let you through once you decide to exit my property." Something about the way he speaks keeps throwing me off, or making me vaguely uncomfortable. _Somehow, I don't think I'll be leaving this place very easily. What a strange atmosphere… maybe I really am dreaming?_

We trudge up to a large estate, towering over our small forms. I gape at the sight, my eyes moving from the grand gates to the outside décor I can see to the actual mansion itself. Amused by my reaction, Blood smiles and continues on. I follow after, now trying to control my expressions. With my head lowered, I fail to notice the bizarre maids and servants diligently working through the estate. Blood soon abandons us and instead the rabbit-eared man steps into his place.

"I'll take you to your room," he turns to the twins huffily. "Get back to work, you little brats!" Hissing in retreat, the boys scurry off and shout back insults. I sigh and walk alongside my only companion left. He keeps glancing down at me, a little curious, but also a little wary. _It's probably because I look so disgusting; my eyes are nearly black from loss of sleep and I'm nearly starved. Whatever. It shouldn't matter what a bunch of silly strangers think of me. I especially shouldn't care when one of the men has bunny-ears. I just need to get back home or wake up from this weird dream._

"I'm Elliot, by the way."

"Hmm?" I wasn't listening.

"My name is Elliot March. Not that it matters, since you'll be leaving when you wake up, right?" I look up at him, my dark eyes dull and callous.

"Yeah, I will be, but thanks for the formalities. Is this my room?" He frets and opens the door, ushering my inside.

"Yes, it is. Well… sleep well." He closes the door and I groan, lumbering to the bed. My vision tunnels in and out as I find my way under the sheets. They're cold and unfamiliar, but I welcome the gradual warmth it brings. This minimal heat lulls me back to sleep, and I think of returning home to my own bed, with Jake by my side.

* * *

**AN:** Okay so that was weird, eh? I actually meant to write a one-shot, but then I got this idea. I actually kind of like it. What do you all think? Send any comments, questions, or concerns!


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **I got such a positive response! I'm tearing up with happiness, gracious readers. Thank you so much. I'll reply to Guests at the bottom.  
I don't really want to make Madison seem like a crybaby at the start, but I'm cutting the poor girl some slack. She's depressed, after all. But she will change! _Maybe_. That's what the story is all about, anyways.

* * *

I awake with salty, blinding tears trapped in my dark eyelashes, though it doesn't surprise me. I'd cried nearly every night after my husband's death, and even more so when my child was lost to me. Though I admit that my main focus at this point in time is the unfamiliar room I've slept in.

It appears I have not returned home after the nightmarish sleep I went through. _What a strange dream this is if I have yet to wake up from it... Though it is nothing compared to the nightmares I've faced in the past year. Other than that, how on Earth can I still be trapped in this strange land?_ I wipe at my dull blue eyes and let the settling darkness in the room sharpen my vision.

The window, which is wide open and at the very end of my bed, allows me to listen in on the crickets chirping outside. A tiny firefly passes by the window and I watch it glow on and off, like a lightswitch. I'm taken back to my childhood days where my mother used to help me catch the little critters, and then she would create a jar with a holey lid to keep them in for a short while before we released them back into the open air.

The flashing bug entered the room for a few seconds, though I had a hard time following its wayward path. Finally it slowly flew back towards the window and set off into the glorious night sky. _Hmm. It's rather dark. If I remember correctly, I arrived at dawn. Did I sleep the whole day away?_

The room around me is very flamboyant, I begin to notice, in contrast to my own anemic image. The bases of the walls are painted over with a creamy, almost eggshell-ish color, and designed again over the paint is a sequence of top hats going up and down. Triangular molded blocks jut out from the corners of the decagon-shaped ceiling, and they too bear designs of a black top hat adorned with a red flower, two items that look like paper, and a cane. Hanging from these molds are purple lamps, also in the shape of the infamous hat.

The pattern reminds me of the man with the icy blue eyes from the previous day, and I consider that perhaps he really _**is**_ the owner of the residence I've slept in. Though I had my doubts the day before when he said I trespassed in his territory, I couldn't deny the recurring theme. Logically, it would explain why these aspects of the guest room are modeled after his signature style of dress.

Moving on, I scan my tired eyes over the red tiled floor and see two different tables; one is just a few feet away from me and surrounded by wooden chairs, and the other is further away, but closer to the window. Upon it lies a pink tea set with purple flowers covering the teacups.

I sit up and remove the pink sheets from my legs so I can swing them over the side of the bed and look around the room some more. A few more tea sets of various colors sit atop a brown cupboard and along the wall diagonal from my position are two unused hanging racks.

I sigh and force myself from the bed. Lumbering over to the open window, I notice bright lights shining from below the building. I figure the lawn has many streetlamps to light the way, but when I scrutinize the scene, I see that there is a small gathering going on in the vast landscape. The distant chattering catches my attention and I observe from above, like the watchful eyes of a hawk. All four males from before are seated at the long table, but they appear to be the only people eating or talking; the servants whose faces I cannot quite make out are standing idly to the side, probably awaiting orders to leave or attend to their dining superiors.

Pushing away from the window, I wonder how I might pass the time for daylight to arrive and for me to find my way back home. Without warning, I hear several knocks at my door. Almost apprehensively, I approach the door and ask for the name and business of the person outside.

"I am a humble servant of the household who has come to deliver a request: Mr. Dupre wishes for you to attend his tea party tonight, madam." I glance over my shoulder to look out the window. _Did he just say 'tea party'? That's what is being held? But it's so late in the night. Well, I guess it can't really be helped. I'm not about to reject an offer from the men who took me in for the evening._

"Ah, yes… I-I'll be right out, then. Please excuse me for a moment." I force myself to answer politely, though the annoyance in my tone of voice is sadly evident.

I chew at the broken skin on my lower lip and ponder the situation. Whispering to myself, I try and prepare a small list of questions to ask the men about the place I've landed in, and most importantly, how I would return home. The idea that I might not _ever_ return home was not out of the realm of possibility, but I deliberately choose to not dwell on it.

I quickly fix the bed, much to my surprise, as I haven't made up my own bed at home for many moons. As I finish running my fingers through my hair, I smooth out my clothes and open the door. "Sorry for making you wait—!"

Right after the door swings open, I scream and fall backwards. The outlandish sight I see before me is all too bizarre to bear. _I know I'm exhausted and my mind is not entirely stable, but this is not even something **I** would ever want to imagine..._

Panicking, the servant lends a shaky hand to help me stand up again, but I refuse it with several shakes of my head before I push away from him. "Stay back. Stay back whoever, or whatever, you are!" I dash to the table with the flowery teacups and snatch one up, holding it'll make for a viable weapon against the eyeless creature coming my way.

"Missus, please wait! I mean you no harm!" The tears return to my eyes as I glare at the terrifying man and his plea for mercy, for I can tell by his cracking voice and paling skin that he is not a monster as I think. Nonetheless, his lack of eyes terrifies me, and so I find myself unable to be within his proximity.

We both hear a rush of footsteps coming from the corridor behind him and within moments the four men from the tea party have arrived at the guest bedroom door.

"Madi, you're awake!" one of the boys announces. He slips under the bunny-boy's arm and sprints forward to hug me. I fall back again and squirm under his weight. His brother quickly mimics the actions, and I find it increasingly difficult to breathe under their combined masses, despite their small statures.

I hear the red-headed man, Elliot March, shout for them to leave me be, but his demand goes unnoticed by the twins. In the meantime, the gentleman in the top hat named Blood interrogates the servant. "What were you doing to harm the young woman?"

"I-I did nothing, I swear! I came to bring her to the tea party, like you asked, and she screamed and—"

Furiously, I roar again from under the boys, "I screamed because you have no eyes! Does nobody else understand this?! J-just look at his face!" I haul myself up from the floor and allow the boys to tumble off my weakened body. Panting, I point my finger at the man and continue with my tirade. "I don't normally judge others based on looks, and I'm sorry to act to rashly, but that is definitely**_ not_** normal."

The boys laugh and address each other in hushed voices, though they clearly realize the rest of the room may hear. "She's really on edge, isn't she brother?"

"Yeah! I've never seen a girl get so angry so quickly. Even Alice wouldn't become so disturbed."

The tears cloud my eyes and I choke back a small sob. I feel like a fool for being so ill at ease and hot-headed, but then I remind myself of my doctor's wisdom from months ago: _It's natural for you to be high-strung; after all you have suffered in this short amount of time, you have a right to let your trepidation go every once in a while. But remember that you still need to recover, so when you do go off on a tangent, just do some deep breathing exercises and get your head back on track. And don't mind what others may say, Mrs. Miller, for I'm sure that if they were in your shoes, they might understand._

I practice the exercises he mentioned, but still find myself unable to regain my senses. Totally disoriented and dull in tone, I look away from the fretful employee to turn my attention to the twins.

"Who's Alice? You know what, never mind. I need to go home. I need to see my doctor," I crawl forward on my hands and knees a few paces before I gather the strength to walk again. The delusions of my family seep into my damaged mind and I start narrating my duties as I shove my way past the overwhelming amount of people in the room. "I have to get the house clean and see that dinner is made… I'm sure my child needs feeding and my husband will be home any minute…"

A sharp chortle from a certain raven-haired gentleman does not escape my ears, but I choose to ignore it as I stumble down the hallway in search of an exit. My vision tunnels multiple times, and the effect nearly causes me to trip and bash my head against the floor. However I catch myself just in time and lean against the wall for a moment before pushing on. _  
_

"What if Jake is already home? He'll be worried if I don't get back soon."

"Madison, wait!"

_"_No, wait, that's not right. Lord help me, I'm losing it."

"Madison, watch out!" I take a half-step down the stairs but begin to fall due to a sudden, brief lapse in consciousness. A mysterious hand grabs my shoulder and reels me back onto solid ground, but I collapse in the helper's arms.

"Jake won't be home… Jake is dead."

Elliot frowns and places the back of his hand on my forehead, "You're running a fever. Are you sick?"

"Sick in the head? Absolutely," I answer gruffly, bearing a weak and sickening smile. He grimaces, but then scoops me up in his arms like a kitten and carries me downstairs.

My limp body bounces in his arms while we descend the stairs, and I become transfixed by the softness of his clothes. Though the purple buckles and large, brownish-yellow belt tying around his black jacket dig a bit into my side, the purple patterned scarf he wears provides comfort to my head. A few times over he looks down at me, almost unsure of how to handle the problem at hand.

I look lazily over his shoulder and see the twins are following close behind, as they've caught up, and then send me an array of goofy expressions. _They're probably trying to cheer me up. Those silly… kids._

I close my eyes for the remainder of the trip and rest against Elliot's sturdy chest. Everything stays silent, as though the fragile muteness was not to be broken until we had reached our destination. _Speaking of which, where are we going?_ I pop open an eyelid and see we have entered what looks to be the kitchen.

Elliot says absently, "I don't know what you like, or what you're hungry for, but we'll get you something to eat."

The twins chime in agreement. "Yeah, we heard your stomach growling upstairs. It was wicked!"

As Elliot prepares a light meal for me to consume, I rub my temples and contemplate bolting for the front door, only to realize I didn't know where it was. I had barely paid attention when I first entered the mansion. Of course, now I regret my witlessness completely. Still befuddled by the absence of empathy I received from the four men in regards to the eyeless servant in the guest room, I decide to take a shot and ask some questions.

"So… what's his illness?"

"Hmm?" Elliot hums back, preoccupied by whatever he's creating by the stove.

"I'm asking what that attendant's illness is. You know, the man you sent up for me?" I glance over at the twins and their incomprehensible antics; right now they're having some petty argument over a toy grenade or something.

"Oh… right. I think there are some things you need to know about this world, Madison." I shoot a glare at the back of Elliot's head. _That didn't answer my question at all!_

"I know plenty a lot about the world, Mr. March. What does that have to do with anything?" I pause and lean back in my chair. "Speaking of which, where is the Country of Heart on the world map? Is it somewhere in Europe?"

The blue-clad boy tips his head to the side. "What are you talking about?"

A light blush inches across my porcelain cheeks. "I said I know a lot about the world, but I didn't say I was good with geography. So, where are we? Are we somewhere in South America?"

By now all eyes are on me and my reddening face, so I look down and allow some chunks of hair to shield my face from suspicious eyes. Finally Elliot cries out in success and swings around with a plate in his hands. "Here you go! Tell me what you think of it," he whispers excitedly. For a half-second, I ponder his actual age. _He could easily pass of as a tall teenager… with a muscular build, and a penchant for dressing up as a rabbit._

"All right…" I reappear from my hairy defense and take the plate and eating utensils from his hands and timidly shave off a slice of the orange pastel-tinted cake. I pop it into my mouth and chew for a solid two minutes before swallowing. All three males lean in dangerously close to my face in eager wait of my critique.

I pass my tongue over my teeth and stammer back, "It's pretty good, I guess." Elliot grins and urges me to polish off the rest of the plate while the twins glower at me in vague disgust.

"How could you like that garbage, Madi?" The red one inquires, seemingly repulsed by my eating habits. I shrug and take another bite of the carrot cake.

"It's sweet and I'm starving. A girl's gotta do what she can to survive."

"If it's survival you're worried about, you may as well leave now," a deep voice coos from the entrance to the kitchen. Elliot stands up attentively and steps to the side, and I see Blood come into view again. He looks strangely nonchalant, but still just as treacherous as our first encounter. He drones on with a slight smile, "We're rather dangerous people, after all."

"Hello again… I'm sorry for causing trouble in your home. I should be leaving soon." I explain, pushing away my plate with about a quarter of the food still left on it. Placing my hands on my lap, I try to sit up straight and put on a brave guise. Everyone else stays quiet, as though the presence of the home's owner renders them mute. I, too, feel compelled to keep shut, if only he weren't speaking with me.

Blood nods to the others and sits at the table with us. A chain reaction occurs and trio copies his actions with extreme diligence. It makes me awfully distressed until the twins continue their squabble from earlier, only in more hushed voices. I turn back to Blood and wait for him to communicate.

"You are welcome to stay here as long as you wish, Mrs. Miller." I raise an eyebrow in question and quickly butt in.

"'Mrs.'? How did you know I'm married?"

He chuckles and points to my arm. I look at it in confusion until draw up my left hand from my lap. My blood runs a little cold at the sight of my beautiful, gleaming wedding ring. _I thought that I took it off a long time ago…_

One of the twins gasps and moves his chair closer to inspect the precious band. "Wow! It's really pretty, Madi! Who gave it to you—?" His own brother growls and cuts him off by pulling him away from my wobbly hand.

"Her husband gave it to her, dummy! Who else?"

Elliot takes a moment to reprimand the boys before he smiles kindly at me. "It's a lovely ring! I'm sure your husband misses you, and vice versa, so I guess I can see why you wanted to get home so quickly…"

Blood sneers and silences everyone once more by taking a verbal knife and stabbing me brutally in the heart. "Her husband is dead."

The correct yet hurtful proclamation devastates my overly delicate mind and I begin to cry uncontrollably. "H-how… how could you say…?"

"It's true, is it not?" He pushes, and I grasp my ring tightly. _I know it's true. I know it can't be helped, and he's telling the truth, but how could he say it so emotionlessly?_ I hold my breath for a few seconds to help in easing the tears and try to calm myself down._ It'll do me no use to yell at him. He's only telling the harsh truth that I need to accept. _

Elliot comes to a revelation and sighs out, "So that's who you were talking about when you said 'Jake is dead'…"

I nod and wipe my eyes like the sissy I am. The tear stains smear across my face, but I decide to let the fine layer of liquid dry on its own terms. "Yes. Yes, that's who I was talking about. It was a while ago, so don't feel apologize or anything. Despite his death, I still need to return home. So, if you don't mind, I'll be leaving now." I start to climb out of my chair when Blood asks me to stay seated.

"I'm afraid you can't leave yet, young lady."

"Why can't I?"

"You have yet to fill your vial with the Medicine of Hearts." I stare him down and realize how little sense I had left to be sticking around a bunch of hooligans. Nevertheless, I fell back into the chair and kept a blank expression on my face.

Promptly intervening, Elliot laughs and takes on the role of teaching me the basics of the 'country' I landed in. _I don't know if I'm dreaming, if I was kidnapped, if I landed in another country, or if I'm actually dead. I guess that, in any case, it wouldn't hurt to just listen to whatever they have to say. At the very least, I need to make sure I call a therapist one of these days, like my mother suggested before._

"We already told you that you're in the Country of Heart, right? Well, this country, among others, is within Wonderland!"

_Oh, __**hell no.**_

"Within the country are territories, much like Blood's! Naturally, we're all in a power struggle—"

"Almost all of us," Blood reminds the rabbit.

"Oh, right. Almost all of us are at war with each other—"

The blue boy winks at me. "We're the strongest of all the territories, though!"

"… Let me finish, you little creep." Elliot scowls at the tricky brothers while he attempts to finish his elucidation. "There's Heart Castle, the Amusement Park, and Clover Tower. Each territory has a number of Role Holders residing there. For example, here at the Hatter Mansion, the four of us are Role Holders."

"Okay, I think I'm following this… but then what am I? Am I nothing?"

He blushes a bit and laughs. "No, of course not. You're our guest, for right now, but the technical term is 'foreigner'. You're a foreigner in the Country of Heart."

I bite my lip but make no objections. _It's better than nothing, I guess. I don't even know Role Holders do, though. Do I want to know? It won't matter once I return home…__** if**__ I return home._ I sneak a peek at Blood again. _I need him to tell me about this vial he spoke of._

"Everyone in the country needs to play by the rules of the game. It's… a little hard to explain, but just know that as a foreigner, you're also a part of the game. You have a different set of rules from us Role Holders."

While Elliot takes a moment to catch his breath, the twins take the opportunity to tell their side of the story. "What you have to do is fill your bottle with liquid to return home!"

The red lad nods and follows up on his brother's report, "And to fill up the bottle, you have to interact with the Role Holders throughout the country. It sucks, because it means you'll have to leave us from time to time… unless we tag with you!"

I tap my chin and create a mental checklist to follow. "So all I have to do is go around and talk to these people? How will I know who they are, though?"

"Remember that employee from earlier with no eyes?" I roll my eyes at Elliot's rhetorical question. After all, how could I forget such a sight? "Well every citizen of this country looks like him; they lack eyes. Role Holders are the only people who have faces. Therefore, everyone else is referred to as 'faceless'. They're unimportant in regards to the game, though, so you don't need to worry about it."

I pout and rest my elbow on the table, and then I cup my aching head in my palm. "What an awful thing to say, even if it is the truth. This is a truly perplexing nation, and I'm glad I don't live here myself. I guess I should start filling that vial, then. Was there anything else I should know?"

Elliot looks to his boss for an answer, but he smirks and insists, "You'll find out everything else on your own. I'll have the guards out front let you through so that you may get started on your task."

The rabbit glares at the twins again and snarls. "Damn lousy kids. You're supposed to be guarding the gate, you know."

"We want to take Madi to see Boris, so shut up, chicky rabbit." The trio rapidly engages in a verbal spat, but I choose to watch Blood take his elegant leave of the kitchen. _He's so strange, but at least he and his employees were willing to help me out. Unless there's some sort of ulterior motive here. I wonder… if I fill this vial by intermingling with Role Holders, and these boys are some of them, does that mean I filled my vial any? How am I supposed to check?_

"C'mon, Madi, let's go!" I snap back to reality and grunt.

"Have you finished fighting yet?"

The bunny-man crosses his arms and glares down at the two boys, but they attempt to appease me by tugging at the hem of my shirt like a couple of angelic creatures. "Yes, that evil bunny finally stopped abusing us Quick, let's get away before he hurts you too!" They don't let me respond when they grab ahold of my arms and drag me away.

As I'm being pulled away from my seat, the twins quickly inform me of their names. "I'm Tweedle Dum," the red-eyed boy says proudly, "and he's Tweedle Dee. Don't mix up our names, or we'll have to kill you!"

"And we don't want to kill such a pretty lady!" Dee remarks, but I notice the mischievous glint in their eyes. _Well, if I ever asked to die before, which I have, I think this is where my wish will come true. How delightful._

I blink and swiftly call back to Elliot. "Goodbye, Mr. March, and thank you for the cake!"

Little Dee copies me, though he is significantly less grateful. "Yeah, bye loser bunny!"

"Hey!" Elliot yells, his face turning a kissable-pink color. "I am not a bu—"

"Bye, y'stupid hare!" Dum shouts, not even bothering to look behind him.

With that, we leave Blood's premises.

* * *

**AN:** They left out the Circus, lack of hearts, ect. ect. for a reason, muahuahua. They are the worst teachers ever. Sorry if it's not as exciting or intriguing as the previous chapter. My vocabulary is limited, but I want to try and use more colorful language since Madison is an adult, and she's actually very intelligent (or so I want her to be).

- Violet the Wolf: I continued. Yay!  
- Olivia: I'm so happy, omg. Thank you so much!  
- SteampunkClock: As you wish, sugarcube33  
- Guest: Thank you! And hmm. I was actually thinking about that. Perhaps? I can't decide on who it might be. Any opinions on Jake's counterpart in Wonderland?


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** I revised chapter 2 and will probably do the same for this one. As for Jake's counterpart, I have explained more at the bottom! (FYI I just randomly chose Gowland's song, even if it doesn't make sense in context.)

* * *

"We've… we've been walking for a while now, haven't we?" I moan, stopping in my march across the small country to crouch on the dirt path. I wiggle my throbbing toes around in my slate blue socks and realize I had not changed in nearly two days, or so I estimate. _Thank heavens my pajamas are actually Jake's old clothing… I would die of humiliation if these devilish kids saw me in my usual outfit._

"Madi, c'mon already! We want to go bother Boris," Dum cries while I take my breather. I look up from the ground and moue at the two tweens.

"Don't patronize me. I've had a very rough day thus far. Just give me a moment." I roll my shoulders and turn my head from side to side to ease the stress on my muscles. At last I regain my resolve and I jog up to the twins so we may continue. Dum looks up at me with a hint of admiration glistening in his crimson eyes.

Dee grins and jabs at his brother with the bottom of his axe—which, I swear, I didn't see them carry the weapons out of the mansion—while commenting, "She looks a lot healthier, right brother?"

"Yeah! Maybe now if we stab her, she'll bleed more than before." I wince and think back to their unpleasant wakeup call the day before, when I was found passed out on Dupre territory.

Drearily I whine back, "Is there a reason you two are so driven to injure others? Most children don't speak so lightly of killing others and such. I mean I guess it's all right, so long as you aren't actually carrying out such threats, but it's still so weird."

They remain quiet, but I know that they're probably more devious than I make them out to be. To avoid a potentially dangerous topic, I clear my throat and ask them what their friend 'Boris' is like.

"He's a cat, like stupid Elliot is a girly rabbit."

"… I see. What's his personality like, then?" Dum rubs the back of his neck in moderate thought.

"Well… he lets us play with him a lot, so I guess he's tolerable."

"... I see again. You two are just so weird, I swear—"

Dee, a little jealous of his stolen spotlight, snatches my right arm and nuzzles against it like a faithful dog. "You should be our new big sister, I think." I emit a mini-squeal and promptly retract my arm from his unwanted embrace.

"N-no way! Look, we're not even related, so there's no way that would work! Also, keep that sharp object away from me. I'd rather die peacefully in my sleep than be accidentally stabbed by you and your stupidity," I strongly castigate. The blue twin scratches his head in confusion at my actions, though I firmly believe I made my opinion on the matter clear. "You're just… so weird. I cannot wait until we meet this Boris." _Then again, if he's anything like these two, I might just sprint my way out of this world. I used to be in track, so it might just work._ My mind reels a bit as I think about family relationships, but I force myself to push aside all thoughts of my husband and son. _Now that I think about it, the Tweedles could be related to Blood… at least they have the same hair color._

"Hey… er, sorry to snap like that, but I have a question. Are you two related to Mr. Dupre in any way?"

As they've walked on ahead a few feet, Dum slows his pace a bit, cranes his neck, and gives me a dumbfounded look. "We're a part of the Hatter family, but we don't have any blood relations."

"You ask really stupid questions, Madi."

I huff and cross my arms defensively. "It was just a question. I mean, how am I supposed to know this stuff? So does that mean your mother and father work under his household?"

"…?" I receive no response except for their whispering up front, which I for once cannot hear. A little frustrated at the disorderly conversation we seem to be having, I hasten my pace and hope to arrive at the next region soon.

-;

As it turns out, the path to this Boris person was not nearly as long as I thought; rather, I'm just an inherently weak woman that can't seem to walk a few miles anymore without feeling winded. We approach a brilliant park that takes me back to my younger days, where I was often visiting water and theme parks with my mom and dad.

"This is…" I trail off, stepping onto the salmon-pink circular tiles of the park. The boys high-five each other behind me, but I hardly notice, as I'm fantasizing riding the rides I can spot over the entrance.

The admission station is lined with lime green trailers with wheels for transportation, and the actual wall surrounding the park is a brick red structure with many misplaced windows spotted along it. From inside the amusement park, I hear the shrill screams of women as they tour the rides. Along with their shrieks are the men's bellows of surprise. The laughter of children eager to take a hitch on a roller-coaster after having a light snack entices me to walk forward, and so forward I move.

From behind, the twins try and stop me from intruding, but in my daydream I'm already ahead, patiently waiting in line for the Ferris wheel.

"Madi!"

I stop at too late a time as I collide with the nearly bare chest of yet another young man. Careening backwards like I've just been stung by a bee, I begin to apologize like a madman. "I don't know what's gotten into me, but I didn't mean to hit you—"

"Whoa there, doll, it's all right. Hmm…?" He bends down a bit and stretches out his neck a bit. I take this brief moment to inspect him: the boy has faded hot pink (hopefully dyed) hair with bangs covering one side of his fair skinned face, amber eyes like a cat, _cat ears_ with piercings and a small fishbone earring, a punk fashioned black vest that only goes midway down his chest, black gloves, a collar with a golden chain dangling from it, black shorts covered by a black skirt, black and mahogany stripes socks and white shoes. I can clearly determine he likes the color black and pink. Oh, did I mention he's wearing a boa, too? And that he has a tail to go with the pointed ears?

"Wh-what am I looking at…" I breathe fearfully, not able to comprehend the array of appearances the role holders have. "Are you Boris the cat, then?"

He draws back and laughs heartily. "The one and only Boris Airay! I take it the twins told you about me, then. So, what's your name?"

"I'm Madison. Madison Miller, to be exact."

The twins join us and further explain, "We call her Madi. She's a new foreigner, and we're helping her fill her vial!"

"Not that we want to."

Boris nods and wraps his arm around my shoulder. We slowly advance towards the park gates and I start ogling again. "I didn't think we'd get another foreigner here again, after Alice left."

"Hmm?" _This talk of a girl named Alice again. Was she a foreigner before me? Then I suppose I really __**can't**__ be dreaming if another girl came to this world prior._

"But anyway, you probably came here to ride some rides. Don't worry; I'll get you into the park for free." I blink and turn my head a little to face his visage.

"What? You can do that?" I query dubiously, almost grateful to the new acquaintance.

He nods and leads our tiny group right on into the park without any hassle. "I'm a freeloader, so I have my rights." I roll my eyes and look away, now ashamed of my past feeling of admiration.

"Then you're really no different from the twins. That rabbit, Elliot March, kept whining that they don't do their job as gatekeepers."

"Which is a lie!" Dum protests, waving his axe around in the air like a wooden sword. "We discovered you sleeping outside the mansion all by ourselves. That dumb bunny really doesn't know what he's saying."

"Yeah, we caught you. That means we've probably qualified to become the boss' second hand men someday after we dispose of the rabbit. I mean, don't you think the mafia has no use for guys like him, brother?"

I stop dead in my tracks and tip my head to the side. "The… mafia…?"

All three boys turn to look at me in surprise. "What, you didn't know?" Boris questions while trying to hide his growing amusement.

I suffer a minor spasm at the very thought of the Hatter family being Mafiosi. _Oh, God. That __**would**__ explain why Blood is the 'boss' and why they all have weapons. I can't believe I accepted refuge under a mafia boss! What if he demands I owe him a favor, now?!_ I clutch the sides of my head and release a desperate moan to the warm air while onlookers stare in confusion.

"H-hey, what's that you're doing?"

"I don't want to be in cohorts with the damn mafia family!" I cry out. Hefty footsteps rumble the ground as some new stranger approaches. I let my hands fall to the side when I see an older man stop in front of me.

He's considerably older than most of the Role Holders I have met thus far, but I can only tell that by his trimmed beard and slightly wrinkled eyes. But his emerald eyes bear a warm tone underneath his glasses, unlike that of Blood's, and his auburn stubble matches the texture of his hair that appears to be braided tightly behind his head. His jacket matches that of some of the employees I noticed at the park, with its bright yellow core and blue lacings. Hanging loosely in his right hand is a violin, which makes sense seeing as his belt is in the pattern of a piano's keys and the cuffs of his jacket are music notes. Also strung along his unique belt are cute horses. What they are for, I have no clue, but they are very cute.

"You don't like the Hatter family either? That's grand! You should stay a while, miss." I wrap my arms cautiously across my chest and regard him with a rather wary eye.

"Perhaps we should get to know each other, first. I'm Madison Miller, the 'foreigner', as everyone asserts. Who are you?"

"I'm the owner of the Amusement park! You may call me Gowland."

"Gow… land? Well, it's nice to meet another person with a face. So, um, you're at war with Dupre's gang? How's that going for you?" The Tweedles, with a silent Boris, stride on up to us and begin to brag about their beloved boss.

"Boss came by not too long ago to buy off some of the land around the park!"

Gowland pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose and seethes in reply, "He didn't succeed though, brats, so don't get so cocky."

Boris brushes his fluffy tail against my side and I move closer as he cups his hand to whisper something to me. "Hey, wanna know something funny?" I smile a doubtfully.

"Try me."

The twins distract Gowland while I'm traded a secret by the rascally cat. "The reason why the old man hates the Hatter so much is because he found out the old man's full name and told the entire country."

I move in even closer due to my interest being piqued. "Oh, yeah? Well, what's his full name? I want to know now."

Boris gossips into my ear, "_**Mary**_ _Gowland_. He's real sensitive about it." I clasp a hand over my mouth to stifle my sudden laughter, but even the twins catch wind of it.

"Whoa, Madi is laughing! Boris, what'd you do?" Dum asks flabbergasted, as though my laughter was a rare occurrence. _They've only know me for about a day or so and yet even __**they**__ can tell I'm not exactly the happiest person alive._

Boris' ear twitches excitedly as he sends an abstruse wink Gowland's way. "I just shared with her a little secret." Gowland sends our gathered crew a funny look before he explodes.

"You did not tell her _that_, right you mangy cat?" I look away to conceal the second-hand embarrassment I feel for the man, but I do admit that the name is a little odd for someone of his physique. Instead of letting my new friend take the blame, I playfully step in and offer some condolence.

"I'm not sure what you're referring to," I rapidly fabricate a lie, "but he was telling me what… what kind of songs you usually play on the violin!"

Boris freezes a bit beside me when Gowland starts to lighten up again. "Oh really? Would you like to hear one of my songs?" Now Dee, Dum, Boris and some nearby employees, with their outfits mirroring their supervisor's, all start to freak out and beg the man to not play his instrument. I pale a little bit, wondering if I missed out on some inside joke.

"W-well, I… I can't see the harm in such a gesture." I answer truthfully, much to the dismay of my new-found friends.

"Madi, no!"

"Quick, decline before it's too late—"

I consider their imploring, but then an earsplitting, discordant clamor rings from the park owner and his beloved instrument as he literally drags the violin's bow across its strings. To escalate the chaos, he begins to sing way off key in the middle of the calamity.

"Oh my darling, oh my darling, oh my darling clementine—" the red-headed bloke bawls while the remainder of us stuff our ears with our fingers to drone out the loathsome noise. I cry out in disbelief as my ear drums manage to pop in the situation. _This cannot be happening. I have to stop it!_ Courageously and with extreme determination, I turn on my heel and lumber towards the failed musician with a thirst for revenge.

"M-Madi, wait, you'll die from blood loss when your ears pop from the noise!" Boris manages to warn over the sound. I look back at him and shake my head fervently.

"I've got to do this. For everyone's sake!" As though I have transformed into the lead male of a really badly planned out RomCom, I march on to face the formidable foe. While lost in his fantasies, I sneak up to the man's side and raise my hand up very carefully. Finally, when I'm close enough, I grab the end of the violin and forcefully snatch it out of his hands. Subsequently, he jerks in surprise and drops his bow.

"What?" Is all he can produce after my actions. The others release their painful hold on their ears and gape at me. I wave the instrument in front of the man's face and pout.

"I think you're in dire need of some constructive criticism, Mr. Gowland. Quite frankly, that was a pitiable performance, and you should feel bad."

He steps back and gives me a dumb look. "What do you mean? My playing was more than magnificent!" I shake my head multiple times to prove my point while the others walk up behind me. Boris, having recovered from his own excruciating experience (being a cat and having sensitive ears and all), sneers in contempt at his senior.

"I keep telling you that you can't play, old man. I don't know why you don't listen to me more often."

Gowland turns his nose to the air like a haughty teeny bopping teenager. "Why should I listen to a freeloading cat like you?"

_Well, Boris wasn't lying when he said so earlier. I guess he's trustworthy._ I then look at the both of them for a few seconds. "Do you live here, Boris?"

"Yep. I'll show you my room sometime, yeah? I have an awesome collection of guns I can show you. Actually, you should stay here with us!" The twins quickly drop their happy façades and begin to protest.

"You can't take her; the boss won't let you!"

"Yeah, don't be selfish, Boris."

The cat lashes his tail out in annoyance. "She's a grown woman. It won't do her any good to stick around a bunch of kids all day long…" I bow my head in respect and think briefly of my baby boy. _I wouldn't mind… No, Madison, stop. Don't even mention it—it's bad enough that the mafia know of my deceased husband. Nobody else needs to know of my troubles. In any case, this is housing issue is getting out of hand. Maybe I should make up an excuse for now._

"Erm, I think I should visit all of the territories before I decide where I want to reside during my time here in Wonderland. To be honest, I want to get out of here as fast as I can."

Gowland nods, acting as if he's just as mature as I am about the whole ordeal. "Good idea. How much of your vial has been filled so far, my dear?" I frown and give a weak shrug, my signature move.

"I don't even know where it is, to be honest. I've only met Mr. Dupre's gang before I came here with the twins." Dee and Dum exchange a thumbs up before they gather around and raid my thin layer of clothing, probably in search of my bottle.

"Lady, where'd you hide your flask? I can't find it anywhere in your pockets!" I flush with embarrassment and grab their wrists to forcibly remove their wandering hands.

"Keep your paws off of my nightclothes, children. Did you not just hear me when I said I don't even know where it is?" I sigh and ask the group for advice on my missing item.

Gowland decides to share his stellar advice by suggesting I seek out the lord of Clover Tower, located somewhere south of the Amusement Park. "Oh?" I hum, contemplating my decision. "I guess I can go it alone. It'd be good for me to get some alone time and explore the country a bit."

Dum puffs out a cheek crossly while disputing the notion, "You're going to make us go back to work? After all we did to help you out?"

I retort with an incredibly conventional expression. "Don't make it sound as though you're my saviors. Besides, you need to return to your work, _gatekeepers_." I give both boys an affectionate ruffle to the head before bowing graciously towards everyone. "I regret not being able to stay longer this time, but I want some answers before I continue on with my journey. I hope you all understand."

Boris grins and imitates my informal dip. "Just come back soon, okay? I could use some entertainment."

His ending sentence leaves little room for imagination, much to my consternation. "I'll pretend there was no innuendo in that statement. But I will come back, so make sure you have some open lines for the rides. I'm serious, too," I reply earnestly. I really will not lie when I say my love for theme parks have still not escaped me in adulthood. "Goodbye for now."

Smugly, I ignore the twins and their predictably hostile caterwauls from the inside of the park and continue on my way to the tower and its unknown lord.

* * *

**AN:** Another round of encouraging replies. Thanks to you all! I know it's rather soon, but I had the free time to write this.  
As for the Jake situation, I had almost the same ideas as most of you did, with Ace. Not only does Ace look relatively normal (in comparison to the other role holders), but he's also a sort of foiling character to Madi, don't you think? He can be falsely cheery and really dangerous, whereas Madi is outspoken, usually depressed, but not so scary. On the flip side, since Ace is sort of an outcast in the world since he tries to abandon his role, he can simultaneously relate to our gal. However, I'm also considering Gray. I think he's the good husband-type character and could help Madi out of her grief.

- Guest: Like I said, I had the same idea (also minus the eyes). But ooh, that note on seeing a soul more damaged than herself might snap her out of her sorrow is really amazing. I love it.  
- Zee: Oh, gosh, thank you. Though she's still young and can be incredibly immature (you'll definitely see this later on), I appreciate the comment. Thanks for your input, too!


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** I encourage you all to try reading Elena in the Country of Memories because it's very good and I think Elena and Madi are somewhat similar.

* * *

Not long after I leave the amusement park, I find Boris chasing after me with a brown, rolled up parchment in his hand. He calls my attention while I tread down the main route and I stop and stall so he may catch up.

"What is it?" I ask, waiting for the poor man to catch his breath. He wipes his mouth on his arm and looks up at me from his crouched position.

"You walk incredibly fast, you know. Anyway, take this—the old man thought you might need it to navigate yourself. Right now, we're about… here," he rolls open the parchment to reveal an intricately detailed map of all the territories and their residents. He uses his slender finger to scan over the right side of the map until he finds a point on the central pathway and points at it. "I'm surprised you didn't just veer off one of these side roads. Anyway, if you continue down this trail, you'll arrive at the Tower in no time. It's not hard to miss, either."

I nod and he hands over the map to me. "Thank you, Mr. Airay."

His nose scrunches up a bit at the name and he contends that I call him Boris. I nod and he bids me goodbye before returning to the park. I admire the map and its crudely drawn labels and begin to continue on.

I stop for a brief rest and note the rising temperature of the atmosphere. I wipe my hairline and find the littlest trace of sweat forming, but I disregard it.

As I walk on, I begin to see buildings spread across the land. _If I'm reading this map correctly, I should be coming up on a quaint little village surrounding the Clover Tower. The residents are Nightmare Gottschalk, Gray Ringmarc, and Julius Monrey. I hope they're a little more mature than the twins._

As I suspected, the scattered houses begin to congregate and make for a lovely township. While I stroll through, I notice some faceless men and women bustling about. It reminds me of the times I used to go perusing the outlet malls with my girl-friends; we would spend all day hustling from shop to shop, even if we never thought about buying a single item.

Browsing the clothing stories and trying on shirts that were three sizes too big with my closest friends was like a little piece of heaven. Even though we seldom had the resources to buy what we truly liked, we always would take an hour or two to play a game of dress-up.

"Oh, excuse me, but where is the Clover Tower?" I stride up to a lovely young couple linking arms by an old Victorian-styled home. The woman slows her pace and raises her finger to point at a grand scale building peeking over the treetops. The whole building is sort of a compilation of separate columns that are linked to a central structure. The colors on the outside surely reflect the tower's name, and so do the symbols plastered along the walls of the towers.

I shield my eyes from the immense amount of sunlight shining over the region and make my way towards the magnificent entry. However, the heat radiating off the ground starts to blur my vision and I stagger as I approach the gorgeous, gleaming white staircase of the manor. As I reach the steps, an intense wave of heat washes over my fatigued body and I fall over in exhaustion.

-;

"You must be Mrs. Miller. Welcome to the dream realm," I hear a husky male greet as I come to. I roll my eyes over the surrounding area, but find a bizarre setting. The backdrop looks like a child's crude coloring job with its mixed colors and never-ending pattern.

Looking around some more, I locate the source of the voice from a floating man above me. He has silvery hair that matches only one visible eye, as the other is covered by an eye patch. His clothes are of a peculiar fashion where his suit jacket has been transformed into a black vest of sorts with the fabric covering the shoulders cut off. He bears a white and purple scarf hanging from his collar and his pants and boots are black, but there is a strange cape-like drapery that's hanging from his belt and a white strip of cloth that's floating around his torso.

"Who… are you?" I ask as I sit up on an invisible floor. The man chortles and hovers around my head tauntingly.

"I am the man you're looking for. If you want to get technical, I am Nightmare Gottschalk, Wonderland's resident dream demon." _He's a dream demon? I don't know whether to be impressed or frightened._ He smiles and lowers himself to my standing height and offers a hand for me to use to pull myself up. I courteously take it and look around.

"You say this is the dream realm? What is that, exactly?"

Nightmare extends his arms out to both sides and the coloring book theme dissolves into a beautiful, sunny forest oasis with a large pink mushroom blooming in the middle of a crystal-clear pond. Tye-dyed flowers spring up from the healthy grass and rustle their petals so that a few fall and sprinkle across the ground. The trees around us dance and shake their branches as though they're following the beat of some hauntingly beautiful melody. As I step forward and twist my head around in awe, a small creature flies by my face and neighs. It flutters around my face a few times before I identify it as a horsefly.

"Is this your doing, Mr. Gottschalk? I suppose you did say you're a _dream_ demon, and so this must be the _dream_ realm. How clever," I croon in approval. The horsefly veers off and sings along with the rest of the natural environment while Nightmare positions himself by the lake. I join him and peer inside the water to see my reflection.

"You have some lovely dreams, Mrs. Miller. It would be wise of you to reveal them to your immediate mind more often." I watch the demon's rippling reflection in the water and see him gazing down at me with some fondness in his smile.

"What do you mean? This isn't my dream—all I can have are nightmares. They haunt me every time I go to bed, and some even follow me into the real world." Wistfully, I ruin my mirror image by inserting the tip of my index finger into the water; Nightmare's mien remains virtually untouched by the action.

"Don't be so down on yourself. You've suffered enough, haven't you?" He appears behind me and I can almost feel his hands caressing my aching back. "Don't be frightened by me, I just happen to know a lot about you. And for the record, this is in fact your dream. It has not been touched for a long time, but it's always been in the back of your mind. It's lovely, isn't it?"

I nod and turn to face him so I feel more comfortable speaking with him. "I must say, this is a most remarkable first encounter. If you're a 'dream demon' as you say, do you visit everyone in their dreams?"

"I can visit everyone in their dreams, but most choose to not see me. Naturally, I must respect their privacy, though once in a while I may allow my curiosity to get the best of me." _That could be a little awkward if I start dreaming of a fond memory with Jake…_ "Do not worry about that; I would never interrupt your personal fantasies."

I turn a little pink in the face as he speaks in regards to my previous thoughts. "Did you just read my mind?"

"It's another ability I possess. Sorry to have frightened you," he suddenly chuckles. "I notice you've had some rather intimate moments with your husband—"

He is cut off by me unexpectedly shoving him into the shimmering water before us. After a moment of thrashing about in the shallow water, he drags himself up to the land and heaves as though he were just drowning. I send an abashed glare to the back of his head, but I suppose he must've felt it, because he starts to freak out and apologize. _He acts like I'm going to maim him! What a sudden change in attitude._

"You might as well injure me! I'll have you know that I'm a very sickly de—" He is interrupted for the second time in the last few minutes when he suddenly spews a glob of blood onto the lime green patch of grass next to me.

"…! What on Earth are you doing?!" I yell, reeling away from the disgusting sight. Nightmare grunts in distress and slaps a hand over his mouth to stop the gooey red liquid from pouring out of his mouth again. I tremble in my spot on the dewy grass and look about for some way to assist him. "D-do I need to take you to the doctor? Can I dream up a hospital here?"

His lone silver eye widens in horror and he crawls forward with incredible speed to grasp me by my shoulders. Shaking me back and forth like a puppet, he repudiates, "No! I absolutely loathe hospitals!" I can hardly stop myself from gawking at the trickle of blood seeping from his pale lips.

"B-but you just…"

"Don't mind me," he says brusquely as he wipes away the mess. The world around us swirls and disappears with a pop, and we wind up in the same crayon-ish realm as we were before my dream came about. "Now, you were on your way to my domain, but it seems you fainted before you reached the doors."

I rub my forehead, almost remembering the incident. "Did I? How unfortunate, but I'm not too surprised. I have barely left the room in my house to go downstairs, so all this walking and interacting with people has taken its toll." Taking opportunity of the moment, my stomach releases a monstrous growl.

Nightmare cups his chin and whirls around me in some inspective act. "You do seem a little frail. I'll be sure to ask my assistant to serve you a filling meal so you may regain some strength. Now perhaps we should address your reason for seeing me?"

"Of course; first I'd like to ask you if you know where I might find my vial. As far as I'm aware, all outsiders must fill their respective bottles with some liquid that is accumulated by interacting with different role holders. I tried searching for said flask earlier, but I've had no such luck in finding it." The demon looks me up and down and I suddenly become a little self-conscious, so I check that the buttons on my husband's button-up shirt are appropriately aligned.

Watching me fidget with my shirt, Nightmare suddenly asks if I've checked bothered checking the shirt's pockets. I warily raise my hands and pull the section of the pocket away from my body. Peeking inside, I notice something concealed by the loose flap of fabric inside. I pull out the translucent object and discover my own engraved, purple-tinted bottle. There seems to be a drop of liquid curdled within the glass.

"One might think I would have noticed earlier. Thank you for pointing it out," I say kindly to the lord. He just shrugs and floats down to look inside the flask himself.

"You're well on your way to completing your game, Mrs. Miller. What is your next question?" I think back to when I first arrived and the abrupt change of time I experienced.

"Is time faster within this world than my own? I can hardly believe I slept through an entire day at Hatter's mansion. I'm not one to sleep for so long, just so you know."

The man laughs and wags his finger like I'm a child to be taught. "In this world, time changes at random. One minute it may be a pleasant afternoon and the next minute the distant stars of midnight will be lighting your path. It may be a little inconvenient, but it's what we have to deal with." I groan, twirling my vial in my fingers, and decide to not think about the prospect of spontaneous time changes.

Nightmare tolerantly inquires, "What else is on your mind?" I stuff away the precious bottle and try to think of any other questions I might have wanted to ask. I purposely recompose the discussion of the Game I had with the Hatter family for Nightmare to listen to in my mind.

After I finish up my thoughts I add, "Was there any important details they left out that I might want to know about?"

Nightmare sighs and casually crosses his legs as he shifts into a sitting position in the air. "There are a few minor details you might want to know about... As interesting as it would be to go along with the Hatter's insistence that you figure things out for yourself, I suppose it would be easier for me to tell you that citizens of Wonderland do not have the same internal structure as a foreigner."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that we do not have hearts," he gently takes my rough-skinned hand and flattens out my palm. Then he pulls it closer to his chest, and I start to hear an illusionary clock ticking. He rests my hand against his heated chest and I inhale sharply, trying to pull away, but he keeps my hand firm in its place. _That's not right… that ticking sound is coming from within his chest! If he doesn't have a heart, does that mean he has a clock instead…? _"As frightening as it may seem you to, you are correct; our 'hearts' are actually clocks. You see, we are very different from the people of your world. Aside from the obvious difference you're feeling, we do not have the same freedoms as you do."

I swallow thickly and mentally plead for him to let me go. He obliges and I gradually pull away from the chilling sensation of the ticking clock in his chest. "I can't understand… What exactly do role holders and faceless have to deal with in this nonsensical world?" The demon simpers impassionedly and drifts dangerously close to my staggering form.

The color book province around us begins to crack and crumble, like an earthquake has just struck the core of the realm. Nightmare ignores the occurrence and continues to come closer with a mysterious intent. Finally he stops just inches away from my face and outlines my baby face without even touching my skin. "I'll see you when you wake up, Mrs. Miller."

-;

I writhe in the constrained space I've been laid out in and open my eyes. The heat of earlier has long faded, but I still feel a little too warm for comfort. I untangle myself from the blanket that has been placed over my sleeping form and sit up. It appears I've been laid upon a squishy green, clover-shaped couch located in the middle of a large room. I face the back of the couch and see Nightmare, dressed in an entirely new outfit, viewing me from a desk on the far side of what I assume is his office.

"That didn't take too long, did it?" I disregard his cocky attitude and turn my attention to the towering male standing obediently next to him.

He's dressed in black clothes, but his trench coat is laden with chestnut-brown slots for knifes or other small weapons. Though I cannot see his face very clearly, I can spot his striking eyes as being an amber color and his hair as not being jet-black, but a very dark blue. The other interesting aspect of the newcomer is the lizard tattoo on the left side of his neck.

"You have awakened? That's good." The man lifts a tray from Nightmare's desk and carries it over to the table next to me. He sets the tray down again and organizes it so that the drink, which I assume was made for me, is closer to my body. "Master Nightmare had you recover from your fall here in his room."

"Is that so?" I look back and forth between the two, silently wondering if this new role holder is to be trusted. Nightmare gives a brisk nod and I get to work. "I am Madison Miller, the new foreigner of Wonderland. Sorry for troubling you like this."

The man shakes his head and finishes distributing the food evenly on the plate. _I guess that means he is the 'assistant' Nightmare said would make a meal for me in my dream._ "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Miller; my name is Gray Ringmarc. I work for Master Nightmare."

_Well this just proves that I'm a genius._ I briefly thank him for the food and grab the fork, oblivious to Nightmare's gesticulated protests in the background. I dice up the food into small, chewable pieces and pop one into my mouth. Within seconds I'm choking on the charcoal-like food I've been given.

Gray panics and hits my back to disengage the food lodged in my esophagus, but his movements are too rough, and so I start to choke even more. My blue eyes swiftly become blurry with tears, though for once it's not from crying. I try to call out to the demon sitting at his desk, but the food in my throat blocks all means of communication, so I resort to using my brain.

_Mr. Gottschalk, please help me out!_ The somewhat useless lord rushes over and grabs my drink, waving it in front of my face.

"Th-that's not… helping…!" I hack some more and finally clear my throat of the horrendously prepared meal, but the sour taste does not leave my mouth. "Oh, thank God that's over with…" I bend my head and rub my chest, trying to recover from the atrocious experience I've just had.

Once I regain my normal breathing pattern I look up into the faces of the two grown men that nearly caused my death; Nightmare looks to be vomiting up blood again and his subordinate is promptly trying to do damage-control for the both of us.

Inwardly, I begin to regret coming to the Tower of Clover.

* * *

**AN: **_(This may be littered with spelling mistakes and general errors, so please point them out! I'm a little too tired to re-read it all. Sorry it was a little rushed and messy towards the end.) _I totally forgot that in JnKnA, there are seasons each territory goes through. Wow.  
- Lily: Thank you! You make a good point for vouching for Ace. I still don't know if I'll actually force Madi into a relationship with any of the role holders, but I'm definitely considering Ace (and partially Gray) to being a representation of Jake. You all are being so helpful in making my decision, too!  
- ReapingReader: If I were Madi, my ears would bleed from hearing Gowland's performance. Ooh, I forgot to even consider the twins transforming into adults… now I'm feeling a little devious. I was originally going to have this story be settled in Clover Country (without Joker), but then I realized I already messed it up because I introduced Gowland and all. So yeah, Joker will be in here, but in reality his role will be limited! Somewhat. He's difficult for me to write, and I'm already having him play a bit part in my other story.


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